Dreaming of preparing nourishing, ethical, plant-based meals in a storybook cottage kitchen? Then, welcome to the delightful world of vegan cottagecore recipes! This emerging trend spotlights natural, back-to-basics cooking with a touch of playfulness.

This beginner’s guide to vegan cottagecore cooking focuses on easy, seasonal recipes to help you create a cozy plant-based kitchen inspired by pastoral values. Whether you’re an aspiring homesteader or just want to infuse more nature into your cooking, you’ll find approachable recipes made with wholesome ingredients here.

By embracing plant-based cottagecore cooking in your kitchen, you can create a haven of cozy charm while sticking to ethical food choices. It encourages us to cherish food as nourishment rather than just fuel.

Overlapping Values of Sustainability, Compassion, and Nourishment

Cottagecore wisdom overlaps with the ethics behind vegan and plant-based eating. At their cores, both celebrate sustainability, avoid harming animals when possible, and emphasize whole foods nourishment from farm to table.

Studies by dietitians also reveal lower risks for:

• Heart disease
• Certain cancers
• Diabetes
• Obesity

This makes transitioning to more veggie-based dishes great self-care!

“Physical health is the pedestal upon which we can build psychological and spiritual well-being” – John Robbins, Author & Humanitarian

Getting Started with Vegan Cottagecore Cooking

Let your cozy country kitchen become a little haven! Here are tips for essentials to have on hand:

Ingredients to Stock

• Plant and nut-based milks
• Canned beans + lentils
• Gluten-free flours
• Herbs, spices, broth cubes
• Plant butter + oils
• Tofu, tempeh
• Sweeteners like maple syrup

Must-Have Supplies

• Large pots, skillets, pans
• Mixing bowls
• Spatulas, whisks
• Measuring cups + spoons
• Knives, peelers, cutting boards
• Mason jars for storage

Slow down and try doing certain steps like dough kneading or veggie chopping by hand instead of only defaulting to machines. Let your cottagecore kitchen be a place to unwind and reflect.

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” – Leonardo da Vinci

Easy Vegan Substitutions for Cottagecore Cooking

Special diets should feel special, not scary or restrictive! We break handy substitutes so you can still enjoy all your cozy classics dairy-free and egg-free:

Plant-Based Swaps for Dairy

You can find multiple non-dairy milk varieties, including almond, soy, oat, coconut, pea, and more. Use them 1:1 in place of regular milk. Other substitutions:

Replacements for Eggs

Flax eggs are a popular replacement made by mixing 1 Tablespoon ground flax meal with 2.5 Tablespoons water and letting sit until viscous. Other handy swaps:

• Applesauce or mashed banana – replaces moisture and binding properties
• Aquafaba (canned chickpea liquid) – mimics egg whites, great for meringues
• Commercial egg replacers like Bob’s Red Mill
• Silken tofu blended with a bit of baking powder

There’s a fantastic egg substitute for every recipe – explore to find your favorites!

Satisfying Vegan & Cottagecore Breakfast Recipes

Wake up to a wholesome morning spread with our favorite easy plant-based breakfasts evoking pastoral vibes in every bite.

Overnight Vegan Oatmeal 3 Ways

• Basic Vanilla Oats – Steel-cut oats soaked overnight in almond milk + maple syrup to sweeten
• Apple Pie Oats – Diced apples + cinnamon + crushed walnuts + brown sugar
• Carrot Cake Oats – Shredded carrots + walnuts + almond milk + maple + cinnamon

Fluffy Vegan Baked Oatmeal

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
• 1 apple, diced
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp walnuts, chopped

Instructions:

1. The night before, combine oats, milk, apple, cinnamon, and maple syrup in a container. Mix well and refrigerate overnight.
2. In the morning, divide the oatmeal between 2 bowls. Top with chopped walnuts before serving.

Nutrition per serving: Calories: 250, Carbs: 44g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 8g, Fiber: 5g

Nutrition data for Overnight Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal from USDA FoodData Central.

Tofu Breakfast Scramble Florentine

• Extra-firm tofu crumbled – 12 oz.
• Diced bell peppers & onions
• Chopped kale or spinach
• Nutritional yeast
• Turmeric & black salt for egg taste
• Oil for sautéing
• Side of roasted potatoes or toast

Scramble tofu seasoned with spices and turmeric for a familiar eggy taste. It’s perfect with greens and roasted potatoes.

Apple Bread Porridge

• Steel-cut oats – 1 cup
• Diced apples – 1 cup
• Cinnamon – 1⁄2 tsp
• Nutmeg – 1⁄4 tsp
• Vanilla extract – 1 tsp
• Brown sugar or maple syrup to taste
• Walnuts to garnish

Instructions:

1. Simmer oats and apples in 2 cups of nondairy milk with spices until creamy.
2. Sweeten with sugar and garnish with walnuts

Satisfying Vegan Cottagecore Recipes For Lunches & Dinners

After long days getting our hands dirty tending the gardens or crafting handmade goods like embroidered pillows and carved wooden spoons, we need cozy plant-based meals that nourish our bodies and souls. Find comfort in every last bite!

Lentil Vegetable Soup with Garden Herbs

Nothing satisfies on a crisp autumn evening like a hearty bowl of stew brimming with seasonal vegetables and nourishing plant-based protein. Rolls warm from the brick oven and sweet butter on the side complete this simple, satisfying meal.

• Dried green or brown lentils, rinsed – 1 cup
• Diced celery, carrots, onion, garlic to taste
• Chopped kale or spinach
• Vegetable or mushroom broth, 4 cups
• Canned crushed tomatoes, 14oz can
• Fresh thyme, rosemary, parsley
• Salt, pepper, red chili flakes to taste

Instructions:

1. In a stock pot, sauté the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic in olive oil until soft, about 5 minutes
2. Add in the lentils, vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, herbs, and seasonings
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 30-40 minutes until lentils are tender.
4. Add the chopped kale at the very end to wilt in the soup
5. Adjust seasonings as needed and serve hot

If desired, garnish bowls with fresh soft herb leaves and a swirl of cashew cream or coconut yogurt. Accompany with slices of crusty bread.

Vegetable Pot Pie with Herbed Drop Biscuits

When autumn’s chill sets in, nothing brings comfort like a hearty pot pie tucked under a blanket of fluffy, freshly baked biscuits. Friends and family will delight in uncovering this cozy treat!

Filling:

• 1 lb assorted vegetables, diced small – carrots, celery, potato, peas
• Sautéed onions and garlic
• 1 cup veggie or mushroom broth
• 2 Tbsp oil
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1 cup unsweetened plant milk
• 1 tsp fresh thyme
• S&P to taste

Herbed Drop Biscuits:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp sugar + 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup cold vegan butter diced
• 3/4 cup unsweetened milk
• 1 tsp dried parsley, thyme, sage each

Make It:

1. Sauté veggies in oil for 5 minutes; add broth and thyme
2. Make roux with oil and flour, whisk in milk
3. Combine sauce & veggies, transfer to casserole dish
4. Mix dry biscuit ingredients, cut the butter in, and add milk until combined.
5. Scoop biscuit dough on top of vegetables
6. Bake at 400°F for 25 minutes

Serve steaming hot with fresh rosemary springs!

Lentil Loaf with Apple Walnut Glaze

Hearty lentil loaf swirled with a glistening sweet and savory glaze makes an impressive centerpiece to any cottagecore feast yet requires minimal effort.

Makes 6 servings

Lentil Loaf:

• 2 cups cooked green lentils
• 1⁄2 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup oats
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tsp poultry seasoning
• 1 tsp salt
• 1⁄2 tsp black pepper

Apple Walnut Glaze:

• 1⁄2 cup apples, chopped
• 1⁄4 cup brown sugar
• 1⁄4 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a loaf pan.
2. Pulse all loaf ingredients in a food processor until just combined. Transfer to prepared pan.
3. Mix glaze ingredients in a small bowl and pour over the top of the loaf.
4. Bake for 60 minutes until browned. Allow to cool 10 minutes before slicing.

Nutrition per serving: Calories: 230, Carbs: 33g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 6g, Fiber: 11g

Nutrition data for Lentil Loaf with Apple Walnut Glaze calculated using Cronometer.

Tip: Serve lentil loaf with roasted autumn vegetables like brussels sprouts.

Also Read: COTTAGECORE DESSERT RECIPES: SIMPLE BAKING FOR A TASTE OF THE COUNTRYSIDE

Nourishing Vegan Dinner Recipes

After long days tending the gardens or crafting beeswax candles, cozy up to comforting cottage dinners like lentil loaves, stuffed squash, or vegetable tagines with homemade bread.

The oven-roasted vegetables and protein-packed hemp heart topping make this plant-powered meal a complete one-dish wonder:

Baked Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash

1. Halve squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds.
2. Fill each half with cooked quinoa, lentils, seasonings
3. Top with hemp hearts
4. Bake at 425°F for 25 minutes

Using pre-cooked quinoa and canned lentils cuts down on active prep time. Roasting concentrates the squash’s natural sweetness and finishes it off rustically tender. It pairs nicely with roasted Brussels sprouts or a kale side salad.

To-Die-For Vegan Cottagecore Desserts

No cozy cottagecore meal is complete without something sweet to satisfy that sweet tooth or share among friends over tea by the fire. Rustic, imperfect desserts bursting with seasonal fruit are delightful indeed!

Mixed Berry Crumble Bars

A buttery shortbread crust topped with juicy summer berries and crispy oat streusel is utterly simple, comforting, and so tasty!

Makes 9 bars

Crust:

• 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar
• 1⁄2 cup cold vegan butter, cubed
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Berry Layer:

• 4 cups mixed berries
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup

Streusel Topping:

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1⁄2 cup brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 Tbsp cold vegan butter, cubed
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease an 8×8 baking pan.
2. Mix flour, sugar, butter and vanilla with a pastry cutter until crumbly. Press evenly into prepared pan.
3. Toss berries with cornstarch, lemon juice and maple syrup. Spread onto crust.
4. Mix streusel ingredients together with your fingers until crumbly. Sprinkle on top of berries.
5. Bake 35-40 minutes until topping is browned. Cool before slicing.

Nutrition per bar: Calories: 270, Carbs: 44g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 10g, Fiber: 4g

Serve warm with whipped coconut cream or vegan ice cream!

Apple Rose Tarts with Hazelnut Crust

These elegant little tarts are infinitely easier to whip up than a bouquet of roses – and much tastier, too! The edible flowers adorning the fruity filling make them a true showstopper.

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg vegan puff pastry, thawed
• 2 medium apples, thinly sliced
• 2 Tbsp apricot jam, melted
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp hazelnuts, chopped
• Edible flowers for garnish

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Grease a mini tart pan with vegan butter
2. Unroll the puff pastry and cut circles using the tart tin as a guide
3. Arrange sliced apples in circles on pastry rounds
4. Mix melted jam with sugar and cinnamon, brush onto apples
5. Sprinkle chopped hazelnuts over the apples
6. Bake 15 minutes until the pastry is golden
7. Cool on a wire rack before garnishing with edible flowers!

Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Maple Cashew Cream

Bursting with the flavors of fall – perfectly spiced cake enriched with shredded carrots and pineapple, swirled sky-high with dreamy “cream cheese” frosting – this classic treat gets a cottagecore update as cupcakes crowned with foraged maple leaves!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder & 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon + 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1⁄4 tsp salt
• 3⁄4 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
• 1⁄3 cup olive oil + 2 flax eggs
• 1 cup carrots, grated
• 8 oz crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Maple Cashew Cream:

• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for 4+ hours
• 1⁄4 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp coconut cream
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• Pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line cupcake tin with papers
2. Whisk dry ingredients together in a large bowl
3. Mix wet ingredients + carrots and pineapple in another bowl
4. Fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined – do not overmix
5. Scoop batter into cupcake tins, filling 2⁄3 full
6. Bake for 18-22 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
7. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting
8. Blend all frosting ingredients in a food processor until smooth and creamy.
9. Pipe or spread frosting generously onto cooled cupcakes & garnish with maple leaves!

Additional Tips for Vegan Cottagecore Cooking

Immerse yourself in pastoral pleasures as you prepare plant-based feasts! Here are more ideas for living that cozy cottagecore lifestyle:

Meal Prep to Make Your Week Magical

Having premade lunch and snacks on hand means you spend less time in the kitchen and more time on crafts or garden play! Mason jar salads, lentil veggie bowls, and overnight oats are kept all week.

Reduce Waste with Reusable Kitchenware

Skip the paper towels for reusable napkins and bee’s wax food wraps. Repurpose glass jars for food storage. Choose reusable produce bags. Keep a compost pile or sign up for city composting to reduce landfill contributions.

Embrace Seasonality with Farmers Market Finds

Instead of exotic imported produce in winter, shop locally according to growing seasons! Sign up for CSA boxes. Preserve the harvest’s bounty by canning applesauce and pickles or freezing berry harvests for year-round enjoyment.

Plan Cozy Indoor Picnics

Are rainy days keeping you inside? Spread your favorite patchwork quilt on the living room floor and delight in a picnic spread of pumpkin soup shooters, apple cider sangria, cranberry pistachio Brie bites, and caramel apple tarts!

Cook Romantic Cottagecore Meals for Date Night

Treat your sweetheart to an intimate homemade feast by candlelight! On the menu: creamy roasted pumpkin sage soup, skillet ratatouille over polenta, and poached pears with vegan chocolate truffle sauce for dessert.

Incorporate ForagedFinds into Recipes

Enhance your pantry ingredients with magical seasonal touches like wild ramps in spring, bee pollen and edible flowers in summer, and sparking cranberries or black walnuts in fall. Get to know your bioregion!

FAQs About Vegan Cottagecore Recipes

1. What are cottagecore recipes?

Cottagecore recipes embrace natural, back-to-basic cooking techniques and seasonal ingredients to create the wholesome dishes you’d expect in a cozy countryside or forest cottage. They focus on simplicity, sustainability, and nourishment by using whole foods instead of processed items whenever possible.

Common cuisine includes veggie-centric mains, heirloom fruit desserts, freshly-baked breads, floral or foraged pantry ingredients, and herbal teas or homemade beverages like cordials.

2. Are there easy vegan versions of cottagecore dishes?

Absolutely! The entire premise of cottagecore cooking is preparing simplified, comforting recipes often passed down generations rather than fussy, complicated French cuisine, for instance.

Many classics easily translate to plant-based with simple egg and dairy swaps mentioned previously. An almond milk chia pudding makes just as toothsome a breakfast as yogurt parfaits. And lentils or mushrooms can seamlessly stand in for meat in stews, pot pies, and shepherd’s pies.

3. What ingredients do I need for vegan cottagecore baking?

Handy staples to have for plant-based cottage-style baking include:

• Gluten-free flours – oat, almond, coconut
• Non-dairy milk – almond, soy, coconut
• Egg replacers – mashed banana, flax eggs
• Plant-based butter or coconut oil
• Natural sweeteners like maple syrup or date paste
• Nuts, seeds, dried fruits
• Warming spices – cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger
• Herbs and edible flowers

4. How can I make cottagecore meals on a budget?

Some tips for keeping costs down when embracing the cottagecore kitchen include:

• Focus on in-season produce purchased locally
• Stock up on staples when on sale – grains, legumes, plant milk
• Batch prep and preserve seasonal ripe fruits via canning, freezing
• Grow easy backyard herbs like thyme, sage, oregano
• Substitute spendy ingredients with budget-friendly swaps where possible
• Get creative repurposing leftovers into soups, pot pies
• Share surplus backyard harvests with neighbors

The cottagecore ethos champions resourcefulness, moderation, and community over consumerism.

5. What are some substitutions for non-vegan ingredients in cottagecore recipes?

Refer back to the handy plant-based swaps mentioned earlier for:

• Eggs – bananas, flaxseed, silken tofu
• Dairy Milk – almond, oat, soy, coconut
• Butter – Vegan spreads, coconut oil, olive oil
• Cream – Full-fat canned coconut milk
• Cheese – Nut-based or soy varieties
• Meat – Lentils, mushrooms, jackfruit

Don’t hesitate to ask any other specific substitution questions in the comment section!

Final Thoughts

We hope this beginner’s guide inspires you to cultivate more plant-based cottagecore joy and connection in your life and kitchen! What will your first enchanting vegan meal be?

As the charming Audrey Hepburn once said: “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” Here’s to a more magical tomorrow ahead – starting in your cozy cottage kitchen today!